Ministry Focus & Equipping | Christian Ministry Training Blog

Staffing & the Big Picture

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 4 Comments ↓

As communicated in the Staffing Ministry section of the site, staffing includes a number of elements beginning with the need to know where you are headed. After completing a ministry assessment, you will be able to more accurately determine who to recruit to best accomplish these objectives. Placement of people into ministry takes on a greater purpose than merely filling positions. This big picture perspective gives you all the more reason to adequately train and support the people you recruit as you know their contribution matters and it is working toward the common good.

To most effectively work within this big picture, staffing must be seen as ministry and not mere administration. This kind of focus provides some safeguards in staffing.

How the Big Picture Safeguards Staffing

Click on the links to learn more about each of these four aspects of the big picture in staffing.

In staffing you can get so consumed with filling positions and scheduling workers that you actually forget why you are doing it.

The Big Picture in Staffing begins with the church’s purpose because it is about working in cooperation and alignment with God.

If not careful, staffing can turn into managing or controlling people so that you actually treat them more like tools to be manipulated than people.

The Big Picture in Staffing demands the exercise of Body Life principles because people are important.

Sometimes attention can become more on what people do and how they serve than who they are and their need to also be served.

The Big Picture in Staffing is best fulfilled through shepherding because helping people grow into Christ-likeness is going to make them more effective in serving.

In the busyness of all there is to do in staffing, it is so easy to simply plow forward in our own efforts according to what we think is right.

The Big Picture in Staffing requires much prayer because the objective is to follow God’s purposes and design for the Body which requires His heart and His choices.

For more help with staffing, check out this resource: Staffing Ministry Manual

10 Reasons Leaders Don’t Delegate

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Ministry Tools Resource Center

Delegation Following God's Design for the Body
God designed the Church to function interdependently with everybody doing their part (Eph. 4:16). Delegation helps promote Body Life.

Though delegation has many benefits, leaders may still fail to delegate when they can. If we understand what’s really behind our excuses, perhaps we’ll reconsider.

Reasons Leaders May Give for Not Delegating

If honest when asked why a leader doesn’t delegate, here is what the person might say:

I enjoy what I do and don’t want to give it up.
I feel like I would be admitting failure or limitations.
I think it makes me look important to be busy.
I like to maintain control.
I don’t know if I can trust other people to do it right.
I am afraid the person might try to do more than asked.
I don’t want to risk someone quitting before the job is completed.
I am unwilling for things to be done differently than what I might do them.
I don’t want to invest time and effort into training someone else.
I fear the person might do a better job than me and consequently make me look bad.

Notice the word “I.” Lack of delegation is about keeping things all about me … usually an outgrowth of pride or insecurities. But, what about the opportunities and growth it would provide for others?

Struggling with Delegation?

If you struggle with delegating responsibilities, think about the basis and benefits of getting others involved. Align with the basics of who we are in Christ and the above reasons for not delegating will begin to disappear. Click below for a few thoughts to guide the way you delegate:

Spiritual Gifts: Definitions Form Basis for Tests

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

Spiritual Gifts Definitions & Tests
In a previous post I wrote about being asked how I arrived at definitions for the various spiritual gifts. I’ve also been asked about the process used in creating the spiritual gifts tests so I will share that in this post. The first four steps will sound familiar if you read the previous post.

A Process for Developing Spiritual Gifts Tests

As in any endeavor, this process was enveloped in prayer for God’s guidance and wisdom and included:

studying of the key passages on spiritual gifts
listing all the gifts found in the key Scripture passages pertaining to spiritual gifts
doing a word study for each of those gifts by looking at the original Greek language
pulling elements from that study into a workable definition for each of the gifts
breaking down each gift into what would be its practical outworking based on its definition
coming up with an equal number of statements for each gift based on the practical outworking
setting a range for scoring
testing the inventory with an entire church body for accuracy and usability which included discussing results with individuals in light of their past, present, and potential service and for some seeking the confirmation of the gifts from others who knew them well
adjusting and re-testing

If you use the online spiritual gifts test or order the Everybody Has a Part Spiritual Gifts Tests resource, you can know that many people were able to attest to its accuracy and be helped by it.

But, a spiritual gifts test isn’t necessary in order to identify your gifting if you know the definitions for the gifts and consequently what to look for in yourself. Ask the same things the various statements measure like how you feel about the kind of ministry using the gifts, your effectiveness in serving that way, and how others perceived it.

Spiritual Gifts: Benefits of Having the Gifts Defined

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

Spiritual Gifts Definitions
In a previous post I shared with you the process I used in arriving at definitions for the various spiritual gifts. Simply being able to list the gifts and define them is not enough. Certainly there must be a purpose in knowing their definitions.

Benefits of Having Spiritual Gifts Defined

The greatest potential in being able to define the various gifts is the help it provides in identifying the gifts in one’s self and in others.

For me, it also laid the foundation for developing spiritual gifts tests … a topic for the next post.

When you are able to identify gifts in yourself or others, you are able to:

learn more about your gifts and how to most effectively use them

help confirm the gifting of others and affirm them in the use of their spiritual gifts

recruit ministry workers based on gifting because you know the gifts most appropriate for the different types of ministries

Knowing how to define the gifts is obviously about more than being able to apply a label to what you or others do. It is to enhance their use through a better understanding. The power comes in their use as each of the spiritual gifts is a “special divine empowerment.”

Church leaders have a strategic part in guiding the process of functioning as a Body through God’s power inherent in spiritual gifting. Teaching about it is only a small part of the equation.

For Church Leaders – God’s Power for the Church: Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual Gifts: How to Arrive at Definitions

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Ministry Tools Resource Center

Spiritual Gifts Definitions
I’ve been asked on several occasions how I arrived at the definitions on the site for spiritual gifts so I thought I would share it with everyone.

A Process for Arriving at a General Definition of Spiritual Gifts

The process I used to arrive at a general definition included:

studying the Bible for what it says about spiritual gifts using Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4
breaking that study down into specific truths and principles about spiritual gifting
bringing those parts together in a more abbreviated and cohesive form

The result of such a study is the spiritual gifts definition you find on the site and in materials published by Ministry Tools Resource Center:

A Spiritual Gift is a special divine empowerment bestowed on each believer by the Holy Spirit to accomplish a given ministry God’s way according to His grace and discernment to be used within the context of the Body of Christ.

A Process for Arriving at Definitions for Each of the Various Gifts

The process I used to arrive at definitions for specific spiritual gifts grew out of that study and included:

listing all the gifts found in the key Scripture passages pertaining to spiritual gifts
doing a word study for each of those gifts by looking at the original Greek language
pulling elements from that study into a workable definition for each of the gifts

The result of such a study is what you will find on the Spiritual Gifts List & Definitions page on the site. Looking at the original language provides much insight. You don’t need to know Greek to do a word study as you can find much help simply by using Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and Vine’s Expository Dictionary (links will take you to affiliate store). The objective in this study, and any study of God’s Word, is to try to arrive at God’s intent.

Shepherding Ministry: Priorities

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 5 Comments ↓

Shepherding Ministry Priorities
Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Three times Peter responded that he did to which Jesus told him to feed His sheep. This speaks to the priorities of this ministry.

In a previous post we looked at how different Greek words were used for “love” in John 21:15-17, pointing to our motivations. And in another post, we saw that two different Greek words were used for sheep … little lambs, sheep … indicating that those whom He entrusts to our care will be at different levels in their spiritual growth which must be taken into consideration when shepherding them. Here we will make some conclusions about the priorities of a shepherding ministry by noting that two different Greek words are used for tending to the sheep.

v. 15 – “feed [bosko] my lambs”
v. 16 – “take care of [poimen] my sheep”
v. 17 – “feed [bosko] my sheep”

The word “bosko,” which was used twice, alludes primarily to providing nourishment. “Poimen” includes feeding but goes broader to overall care and is the same word used in 1 Peter 5 for shepherding.

Different Words Point to the Different Priorities in a Shepherding Ministry

Why didn’t Jesus use the same word, “bosko,” all three times for added emphasis?

Maybe He wanted to communicate that the flock needs more than feeding. They need to be protected and sometimes rescued. They need to be cared for when injured and comforted when afraid. Click on this link to learn more about the needs of sheep and the implications for shepherding them: Shepherding Ministry Duties

Why didn’t Jesus just use the word “poimen” all three times since it includes feeding?

Jesus could be stressing the priority of feeding the sheep. Overseeing the flock is important but of prime importance is feeding the flock. Perhaps this is why one of the qualifications for leaders is to be able to teach (1 Tim. 3:2). Remember, teaching is not limited to the pulpit or classroom. There are many ways to teach (feed) others.

Why Feeding is a Top Priority for Shepherds

We learn why feeding is a top priority in shepherding when we look at other Scripture passages like the following:

People need to become thoroughly equipped for every good work which comes through the Word. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

People need to learn to distinguish good from evil which requires constancy in feeding on the meat of the Word. (Heb. 5:14)

The more equipped and discerning people are, the better they are prepared to meet the demands of this life and be light and salt in this world. Anemic believers do little to advance the cause of Christ. They are too weak and lethargic. So, feed them. Tend to other needs as well. And, feed them some more. Feeding must be a regular occurrence. Feeding must get beyond the milk (basics) to the meat of the Word.